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Deep Black #2
Biowar
Just days before an international medical convention begins, terrorists abduct a leading scientist from the shadowy laboratories that serve as America's first line of defence against bio-chemical annihilation. Locked away in his head are secrets critical to America's security...and possibly knowledge of a new, terrifying, and incurable illness that could wipe out millions. Only one government agency has the know-how, the equipment, and the sheer guts to find out what happened before apocalyptic plague consumes the world's the National Security Agency. Returning from the first DEEP BLACK, ex-Marine sniper Charlie Dean pairs with former Delta Force trooper Lia DeFrancesca to pick up where the missing scientist left off, with Dean actually assuming his identity and faking his way through the conference. From there, mysterious contacts direct them through a gauntlet of assassins and booby-trapped villas, to a ruthless international consortium determined to hold the world hostage with the killer virus.
400 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 16, 2004
138 people are currently reading
672 people want to read
About the author
Stephen Coonts
180 books754 followersStephen Coonts (born July 19, 1946) is an American thriller and suspense novelist.
Coonts grew up in Buckhannon, West Virginia, a small coal-mining town and earned an B.A. degree in political science at West Virginia University in 1968. He entered the Navy the following year and flew an A-6 Intruder medium attack plane during the Vietnam War, where he served on two combat cruises aboard the USS Enterprise (CVN-65). He accumulated 1600 hours in the A-6 Intruder and earned a number of Navy commendations, including the Distinguished Flying Cross. After the war he served as a flight instructor on A-6 aircraft for two years, then did a tour as an assistant catapult and arresting gear officer aboard USS Nimitz (CVN-68). His navigator-bombardier was LTjg Stanley W. Bryant who later became a Rear Admiral and deputy commander-in-chief of the US naval forces in Europe.
After being honorably discharged from duty as a lieutenant in 1977, Coonts pursued a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree at the University of Colorado, graduating in 1979. He then worked as an oil and gas lawyer for several companies, entertaining his writing interests in his free time.
He published short stories in a number of publications before writing Flight of the Intruder in 1986 (made into a movie in 1991). Intruder, based in part on his experiences as a bomber pilot, spent 28 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists in hardcover and launched his career as a novelist. From there he continued writing adventure-mysteries using the character from his first book, Jake Grafton. He has written several other series and stand-alone novels since then, but is most notable for the Grafton books.
Today Coonts continues to write, having had seventeen New York Times bestsellers (out of 20 books), and lives in Las Vegas, Nevada with his wife and son.
Taken from Wikipedia
Learn more about Stephen Coonts on the Macmillan website.
Coonts grew up in Buckhannon, West Virginia, a small coal-mining town and earned an B.A. degree in political science at West Virginia University in 1968. He entered the Navy the following year and flew an A-6 Intruder medium attack plane during the Vietnam War, where he served on two combat cruises aboard the USS Enterprise (CVN-65). He accumulated 1600 hours in the A-6 Intruder and earned a number of Navy commendations, including the Distinguished Flying Cross. After the war he served as a flight instructor on A-6 aircraft for two years, then did a tour as an assistant catapult and arresting gear officer aboard USS Nimitz (CVN-68). His navigator-bombardier was LTjg Stanley W. Bryant who later became a Rear Admiral and deputy commander-in-chief of the US naval forces in Europe.
After being honorably discharged from duty as a lieutenant in 1977, Coonts pursued a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree at the University of Colorado, graduating in 1979. He then worked as an oil and gas lawyer for several companies, entertaining his writing interests in his free time.
He published short stories in a number of publications before writing Flight of the Intruder in 1986 (made into a movie in 1991). Intruder, based in part on his experiences as a bomber pilot, spent 28 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists in hardcover and launched his career as a novelist. From there he continued writing adventure-mysteries using the character from his first book, Jake Grafton. He has written several other series and stand-alone novels since then, but is most notable for the Grafton books.
Today Coonts continues to write, having had seventeen New York Times bestsellers (out of 20 books), and lives in Las Vegas, Nevada with his wife and son.
Taken from Wikipedia
Learn more about Stephen Coonts on the Macmillan website.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
January 16, 2023
This audiobook kept meoccied on my Texas to Detroit flight. Good characters and engaging plot.
May 13, 2023
This is either a strong four or a weak five stars for me. I'd have to be convinced juuust a bit more for this to be on par with Op Center. Though lots of the parts are here: a nexus of experts, with an independent head; agents who are committed to their ideals and the team's mission at the same time, thus causing conflicts; mucho technology. I'm just missing a bit more of the military element. Oh and the subject matter is amusing and also timely - COVID much?
July 2, 2022
Good read. Exciting story about a disease breaking out that could cause a pandemic. Tom Clancy did it much better in Executive Orders, but Biowar is quite enjoyable.
April 27, 2018
I suppose if you looked hard enough you could find a worse techno-thriller than this mess. This novel features a main character that reminds everyone he isn't a doctor at least a dozen times. The other characters were even more ridiculous. Plenty of pointless techno babble as well.
August 3, 2018
Kind of boring
December 11, 2021
A good story line, slow at times, especially when you don't know the characters.
May 8, 2025
When I first began reading - well, after the Nancy Drew years, my tastes ran towards terrorism, medical thrillers, and bio terror books. Favourite authors back then included Tom Clancy and Robert Ludlum.
This book, Deep Black - Biowar, took me back to these loves and Stephen Coontz did not disappoint. This one starts with a vanished scientist specializing in bio warfare, leaving behind a dead body. The NSA and CIA get involved in figuring out who took him and to where.
A cat and mouse game ensues leading Charlie Dean and Tommy Karr, NSA operatives, across the world to determine what the scientist was working on. The stakes are raised when two operatives who were at the scene of the murder land in the hospital with undiagnosed E Coli symptoms. Is there a world wide contagion on the loose?
It’s been so long since I’ve read this type of novel it was interesting to learn about the tech gadgets now available for undercover operatives. No idea how accurate it all is but everything sounded plausible. If these types of hidden tracking and listening devices exist, it’s a good warning not to get involved in anything clandestine. Oh and drones! So many drones. And their capabilities are frightening, especially since I know that part is based on real life.
Of course - spoiler alert - the good guys win, find the antidote, and the world is saved.
Although just a smidge too technical for me at times, this is an entertaining ride around the world to guerrilla camps, the White House, black hawk rides, and full out, hold your breath car chases. It’s a four star read for me.
This book, Deep Black - Biowar, took me back to these loves and Stephen Coontz did not disappoint. This one starts with a vanished scientist specializing in bio warfare, leaving behind a dead body. The NSA and CIA get involved in figuring out who took him and to where.
A cat and mouse game ensues leading Charlie Dean and Tommy Karr, NSA operatives, across the world to determine what the scientist was working on. The stakes are raised when two operatives who were at the scene of the murder land in the hospital with undiagnosed E Coli symptoms. Is there a world wide contagion on the loose?
It’s been so long since I’ve read this type of novel it was interesting to learn about the tech gadgets now available for undercover operatives. No idea how accurate it all is but everything sounded plausible. If these types of hidden tracking and listening devices exist, it’s a good warning not to get involved in anything clandestine. Oh and drones! So many drones. And their capabilities are frightening, especially since I know that part is based on real life.
Of course - spoiler alert - the good guys win, find the antidote, and the world is saved.
Although just a smidge too technical for me at times, this is an entertaining ride around the world to guerrilla camps, the White House, black hawk rides, and full out, hold your breath car chases. It’s a four star read for me.
March 31, 2022
This is an interesting story where Mr. Coonts does a very a good job with potential bio-agents and contagions. It was interesting to read because it was written pre-COVID yet followed closely with all we all know now after living through the COVID pandemic.
The communications and drone technology applications were fanciful and fascinating. It makes me wonder how much of it is actually in use today. Very well done.
I had some difficulty remembering all the characters and how they interrelated. I also found much of the dialog difficult to follow. Could just have been me.
The communications and drone technology applications were fanciful and fascinating. It makes me wonder how much of it is actually in use today. Very well done.
I had some difficulty remembering all the characters and how they interrelated. I also found much of the dialog difficult to follow. Could just have been me.
December 12, 2022
This was a thoroughly enjoyable geo-political thriller and was definitely a solid successor to the first book in this series Deep Black. For much of the book there are two parallel story arcs running, the first with Charlie Dean who after discovering the body at a friend's (Kegan) house during a surprise visit. The friend it turns out has disappeared and has previously consulted on germ warfare. As the investigation uncovers the fact he has recently reported and strange contact from an unknown source and a promise to meet up at an upcoming conference Dean is sent off to impersonate his friends assistant and try to find out what the contact is all about. Not long after landing he is kidnapped and with Lea never far behind he's in for a whistle stop tour of Europe as he tries to learn as much as he can.
Alongside this Desk 3 send another operative over to Thailand where a money trail indicates that both Kegan and his real assistant appear to have visited before their disappearance in order to track them down and to try and discover if Kegan is attempting to sell bio-weapons to a foreign power.
The story is fast moving, believable and with good action scenes, all that I've come to expect from Coonts' thrillers.
Alongside this Desk 3 send another operative over to Thailand where a money trail indicates that both Kegan and his real assistant appear to have visited before their disappearance in order to track them down and to try and discover if Kegan is attempting to sell bio-weapons to a foreign power.
The story is fast moving, believable and with good action scenes, all that I've come to expect from Coonts' thrillers.
August 16, 2020
Enjoying this series a lot. Good story and good action.
January 22, 2022
OK book interesting now that we are in a pandemic. Not as good as some of his other books
February 19, 2025
Far from the best book I've read
This book just did not capture my imagination. I also thought it jumped around too much. It seemed at times there were pages or chapters missing.
This book just did not capture my imagination. I also thought it jumped around too much. It seemed at times there were pages or chapters missing.
July 19, 2015
Review
"Coonts knows how to write and build suspense...this is the mark of a natural storyteller."
--The New York Times Book Review
"The master of the techno thriller." -Publishers Weekly
Product DescriptionDr. James Kegan, a world-renowned scientist specializing in germ warfare, has vanished from his upstate New York home. But this is no ordinary missing-persons case. Kegan has left behind an unidentified dead man with a .22 caliber hole in his skull-and a contact trail that leads to an alleged terrorist cell.
Unraveling the mystery is a job for Kegan's best friend, NSA operative Charlie Dean. His mission is to infiltrate the scientist's circle of associates and decipher Kegan's confidential research. Dispatched to cover Charlie is Delta Force trooper Lia Francesca. The trail leads them to the core of a widespread killer fever that's been dormant for centuries-and its link to a virus that's quickly spreading victim by victim. With time running out Charlie and Lia must find Kegan, uncover his secrets, cut a terrorist threat to the quick, and stop the unimaginable outbreak of a new biological nightmare.
October 5, 2014
Very timely book. It was written in 2004, but deals with an Ebola like outbreak. The story follows a deep ops member of a national organization that works to track down the doctor who created the virus and the people who were inflected in the USA and Asia. Some of the technology is way cool and probably in use today. I got two more of his books to read as well that follows the same characters. These books are a nice break from heavy duty non-fiction. If you are a who done it fan, great series of books for you!
May 8, 2016
The second book about the Deep Black team is not better than the first. The only change is really that the characters are a bit more developed and with that I mean "a bit", not much and not enough to create any depth.
The story here is that Charlie Dean visits his old friend the biologist and finds a body from someone. There are also hints at a biological weapon being on the market and the race is on to find it before anyone gets hurt.
This book could also be the script for a bad action movie, or an episode of a bad tv series.
The story here is that Charlie Dean visits his old friend the biologist and finds a body from someone. There are also hints at a biological weapon being on the market and the race is on to find it before anyone gets hurt.
This book could also be the script for a bad action movie, or an episode of a bad tv series.
Read
February 27, 2014I enjoyed this book. I really like Stephen Coonts writing style and have several of his books on my "to read" list.
I have grown attached to some of the main characters, Lia, Charlie, and Tommy. When they get into tense situations, I get fretful hoping no evil befalls than and am happy when they get out of these situations. I also enjoy the sarcastic banter between them; it makes them more realistic.
I will be getting the next Deep Black book soon.
I have grown attached to some of the main characters, Lia, Charlie, and Tommy. When they get into tense situations, I get fretful hoping no evil befalls than and am happy when they get out of these situations. I also enjoy the sarcastic banter between them; it makes them more realistic.
I will be getting the next Deep Black book soon.
October 31, 2007
i picked this book because it looks cool, but when i read it i hated it. but as i read on, i started to get it and i like it more and more as i read on. it reminded me of resident evil where there are zombies walking around and people are trying to survive. it was kind of like that for this book.
December 14, 2012
I'm not sure if I'll continue with this series. It skips around a lot and so sometimes I'm a bit confused about what's going on. It might be better in printed form (I listened to the audiobook version).
February 4, 2008
i enjoyed reading this book because i love mysteries and especially when it has to do with creepy scientific experiments
June 21, 2009
Kind of a "low rent" James Rollins "Sigma Force" imitation...a world-wide threat addressed by a US semi-techno/military force
June 19, 2010
This was a pretty good book. Sort of Typical Stephen Coonts but overall still very entertaining.
August 29, 2012
Fun. Not deep, but a great, exciting, escape book. Thailand, Austria, US...
April 11, 2011
A fairly enjoyable story. The reader did alright. His female and male characters sounded a lot alike however.
Read
December 8, 2011The relationship between Dean and De Francesca is more than a little tiresome and over the top. Enough already. It's enough tp put me off the series.
May 18, 2012
It blows big time. Unless you like slow, boring, tales, than go for it.
September 9, 2012
Great book!
December 3, 2012
The "Co-Author" Jim DeFelice. I,ve tried many books with this Author
And have NOT enjoyed reading any of them. I try to avoid books that De Felice
Has written
And have NOT enjoyed reading any of them. I try to avoid books that De Felice
Has written
May 3, 2013
I am not onto this book. I think I will give up on this author.
June 6, 2013
Struggled with this one - didn't seem like Coonts' style at all. I did read it out of sequence - so will give this Deep Black Series one more chance!
February 14, 2014
This one was a lot harder to follow....enjoyable at times but wouldn't rate 5 star as the storyline skipped around a little too much for me.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews